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November 27, 2005
WWJW?
What would Jesus want? For Christmas, his birthday, that is...?
An ipod, perhaps? The latest U2 album? Loads of chocolate?
Or maybe a goat? Or sheep?
Do we really need any more stuff ? Aren't we already enslaved enough to Mammon?
Why not ask people not to give you presents this year, but instead send people here (US) or here, or here (UK) to send a goat to Africa for you?
Just a suggestion.
November 22, 2005
Back from travels
I have been away for most of the last month, and - while it has been a very enjoyable and fruitful time - I am glad to be back home for a while.
I have just returned from Llandudno, North Wales, where I spent two weeks on a course called Face to Face, run by OM. This is a course designed primarily to give input to those in ministry in need of spiritual refreshment. I found the course very helpful, and made some good new friends. The location was also very restful, and we were blessed with beautiful scenery, good weather, and dramatic sunsets. You can see some of my photos from North Wales here.
Before that, I was in the US just for a week. I spent a great time with pastor Billy and my good friends at Hatteras Island Christian Fellowship, who have been a great encouragement to me over the last few years. It was great to be able to share with them my ongoing vision for the work in Burkina Faso. We also had a lot of fun together, and they even got me on a surfboard for the first time in my life. I was also taken climbing up the Prow in Linville Gorge by some other friends - an exhilirating, if somewhat nerve-wracking experience. This was a challenging climb for me, but was a mere stroll in the park for my friends, who were very encouraging and patient with my fear and inexperience. Thanks again, guys. I'm still kicking myself that I didn't take my camera with me.
Growing up among the Fulani
I have just come across a blog by Christine, the daughter of good missionary friends of mine. We worked together in Burkina Faso, but they are now back in New Zealand. Christine's fulfulde was better than mine, and she lived among the women and children in a way that has given her a lot of unique experience of their culture.
She has a short posting here, where she gives a perspective on what it was like growing up among the Fulani of Burkina Faso. She tells of the pain of seeing her friends marry at 13 to older men, and of little girls dying from being circumcised with a rusty blade. But she also tells of the joy of experiencing people's generosity and kindness.
I will be keeping an eye on her blog for future stories and insights to pass on to you.
Bush-taxi Burger
I loved this bush-taxi burger found in Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso by Tafirkhoo.
Looking round this guy's site, there are a few interesting stories of life in Burkina from someone working with an NGO in the capital. There is also a photo of my old motorbike on the road to Djibo, and some of the guys out on their bikes in the sand dunes at Oursi, just north of Gorom-Gorom.
On his site I also found this appropriate quote, which I hadn't heard before:
"I am neither a prophet, nor the son of a prophet, and I work for a non-profit organisation..."
November 21, 2005
President wins election
As expected, Blaise Compaore, the incumbent president of Burkina Faso, won the latest elections by a huge majority, with about 80% of the vote.
This is his third electoral win, although previous elections, in 1991 and 1996, were virtually unopposed. This time round, the opposition were too divided to mount a serious challenge.
Tags: burkina faso africa elections burkina blaise compaore
Whatever happened to Keith...? October 2005
My latest newsletter is here.
Continue reading "Whatever happened to Keith...? October 2005"
November 14, 2005
Elections in Burkina
Burkina Faso is at the polls for the presidential elections.
The likely results seem in little doubt, with current president Blaise Compaore certain to win in spite of controversy over procedure.
Importantly, things seem to be going peacefully, but continue to pray, please.
More information on Burkina here, and on the elections here
Thank you.
Tags: burkina faso africa elections burkina
November 09, 2005
One faith, one baptism…two wives…? (Part 2)
In part 1, I began to tell the story of Yusuf’s struggle to get baptised, and the hesitation of his pastor because of his denomination’s opposition to baptising polygamists.
Several interesting comments were made, generally agreeing that theologically there is no reason why Yusuf should not be baptised. But the issue we faced was how to do that. For Suley to do it would be to dishonour and disobey his leaders. For me to do it would be to undermine the authority of the local church which I am there to serve in Burkina Faso. And to suggest Yusuf goes elsewhere to get baptised assumes the presence of another denomination, an awareness that Yusuf did not possess of such options, and an individualism that is more western than Biblical or African.
The story continues…
In fact, there was another church in the area, and this denomination took the attitude that men with more than one wife could indeed be baptised, without having to send any of them away. They could not of course take any further wives. But they would have to continue to provide for all their wives. (It is interesting to see the proscription in Exodus 21:10 : “If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights...”)
Pastor Suley agreed that the best solution would be to approach pastor Pierre of the other church, and suggest that Yusuf join his church.
I don’t know how many church leaders would be so generous and selfless as to actually suggest that a valuable member of their church should join another church because it would be better for their spiritual growth….?
Pastor Pierre, a Mossi like Suley, was very welcoming. Sitting under the mat shelter in the church yard, a pot of Fulani tea bubbling away in the corner, I translated as he interviewed Yusuf about his faith. Pierre thought he could find someone in the church to translate the Sunday messages into the Fulani language for Yusuf. And he asked me to lead Yusuf through the baptism classes.
Yusuf started coming to the new church, a challenge in itself. The Mossi and Fulani have very different cultures, and a history of conflict and mutual distrust (I wrote about some of these issues here). Often, after a church service, Yusuf and I would sit for ages, discussing why things were done the way they were, and looking at the Bible together. With Pierre and Suley’s agreement, I started a mid-week cell group for the Fulani from both churches, where they could worship and develop an understanding of their faith within Fulani culture. On Thursdays Yusuf would walk into town from his village for the main market, and in the evenings we would meet with the little group. Often Muslim Fulani friends would join us too, as they became interested in the story of Jesus. Yusuf would stay the night with me, and in the morning he would head back to his wives and children. But on Sundays, he would come in again to the Mossi church service, and more discussion afterwards.
The day and night of Yusuf’s baptism was one of the highlights of my life. Read about it here.
Back in his village over the following months, Yusuf worked out how to live out his faith as the only Christian in his village. Little by little he shared what he had found with his family and his neighbours. When I visited him, it was great to hear him telling Fulani parables to his visitors, drawing them in as he asked them questions about the meaning, and leading them to the truths of the gospel from within their own culture. I resisted teaching him the “4 Spiritual Laws” approach to evangelism, as I saw the good news being told among the Fulani more effectively than I would ever be able to.
And then one market day several months later, he and his wives and children all came to town and stayed the night with us. Gently Yusuf told us that he thought his wives were interested in following Christ, and would we interview them please? Hawa clearly had more understanding of the message of Christ than Salimata, but they had both seen the change in Yusuf’s life, and that the way of Jesus was good. They were nervous about the consequences, but both decided they wanted to follow the way their husband had chosen. That day Hawa and Salimata both prayed to give their lives to follow Christ, and to receive life in his name.
Another new beginning, and the story continues. Please pray for Yusuf, Hawa, and Salimata as they seek to live for Christ as ambassadors for the kingdom of God among their neighbours and community. Officially, as a man with more than one wife, Yusuf can never be a church elder. But in practice, he is the most mature believer in a large area, and effectively the founder of the church in his village. In the meantime we look for the day when both his wives also choose to take the step of following Christ through the waters of baptism.
Tags: burkina faso africa polygamy burkina fulani church baptism mission
